This serves as a timely reminder of how quickly things can go wrong, especially with cold water in the mix (winter is upon us). Aside from all the other factors there were three that resonated with me:

1. just how quickly things can go wrong, even in relatively benign conditions

2. how having even conservative amounts of water in an otherwise relatively stable kayak can have a serious negative impact when things go wrong (in this case water leaked in through rudder cables)

3. and how deck layouts and added accessories can be a serious hindrance to re-entries

Now's the time guys, practice those re-entries in your rigged kayak while the water is still relatively warm. Leave the sounder itself off, and remove reels from rods, but otherwise kit your kayak as you normally would on the water and give it a go. Make sure you're dressed as you normally would be, and make sure there's a mate there to lend a hand if needed. You can share an ale afterwards and chuckle at each others antics, but this will serve to make sure you have your technique sorted and will highlight if there are any issues with where gear is placed.

It's a good read and again it shows that when things go wrong it's almost always a series of things going wrong. A single catastrophic event is very rare.

I like to think of an effing great big hole in the ground, a pit if you like. An incident pit.

Whenever you head out you can choose to be 2-3 steps away from the edge of that incident pit by being prepared, experienced and aware of conditions, or you can stand right on the edge vulnerable to the slightest push.

Happens more local and more often than we may think... interesting I have heard on more than one occasion over the last few months from a resident out at Orere point how many yakkers he has seen get in trouble, and we don't hear about them Read below from an event from a few years ago, and I call it an "event" as third parties had to get involved http://www.kayakfishingnz.com/forum/vie ... =14&t=5608

Condition the man deteriorated into very quickly, says there is also a need for a tow line to be carried. In the first incidence, if unable to use radio for whatever reason, he should of been instructed to carry and use a good whistle carried on lanyard around neck or on his jacket to attract attention to his dilemma..

people seem to have the illusion of buying a kayak and paddling out in glass calm seas to spend 4 or 5 hours soaking up the sun while they put nice fat snapper in the bin for there dinner when as we all know those days can be few an far between. i spent near 20 years surfing at a beach here in taranaki that was known for its pretty wild nature and would see the same thing there. people would go out and buy a board,wax it up and hit the water with no experience what so ever and get them selves into all sorts of serious trouble. i think with kayak fishing growing bigger and bigger by the year that this sort of thing is just going to happen more and more. the key is finding away to educate people before they set foot in the sea.

nakiyaker wrote:people seem to have the illusion of buying a kayak and paddling out in glass calm seas to spend 4 or 5 hours soaking up the sun while they put nice fat snapper in the bin for there dinner when as we all know those days can be few an far between. i spent near 20 years surfing at a beach here in taranaki that was known for its pretty wild nature and would see the same thing there. people would go out and buy a board,wax it up and hit the water with no experience what so ever and get them selves into all sorts of serious trouble. i think with kayak fishing growing bigger and bigger by the year that this sort of thing is just going to happen more and more. the key is finding away to educate people before they set foot in the sea.

Unfortunately this isn't possible.
A: there's to many ways of obtaining a kayak.
B: you only have to look at boaties and there response to having to wear a life jacket.
C: even when you try to inform some people just don't take it on board. she'll be right mate. you only have to look at the french guy I had in here a few weeks ago!

Fishing is like a box of chocolates. you never know what is going to be served up...

nakiyaker wrote:people seem to have the illusion of buying a kayak and paddling out in glass calm seas to spend 4 or 5 hours soaking up the sun while they put nice fat snapper in the bin for there dinner when as we all know those days can be few an far between. i spent near 20 years surfing at a beach here in taranaki that was known for its pretty wild nature and would see the same thing there. people would go out and buy a board,wax it up and hit the water with no experience what so ever and get them selves into all sorts of serious trouble. i think with kayak fishing growing bigger and bigger by the year that this sort of thing is just going to happen more and more. the key is finding away to educate people before they set foot in the sea.

Unfortunately this isn't possible.
A: there's to many ways of obtaining a kayak.
B: you only have to look at boaties and there response to having to wear a life jacket.
C: even when you try to inform some people just don't take it on board. she'll be right mate. you only have to look at the french guy I had in here a few weeks ago!

Mike is right.

My most recent example from Viking's factory showroom: "... you're such a Nana you can't have much real experience! The guys in Auckland said I'd be perfectly fine with ..." (quote is word for word)
Unfortunately he had been given advice by a newby selling something totally unsuited to the intended task, but as it was what the client wanted to hear (much cheaper) it was given more credence than was due. It took nearly another hour explaining my background and how kayak fishing works to get him to start actually listening. Sad as it is I had to drag out 10 years of magazine writing and some 20 year old images to get him to listen to what he didn't want to hear.

Probably the biggest difficulty for new kayak anglers is that there are so many sources of information, but incredibly few ways to qualify how good that information actually is. You can't walk up to everyone and say "I started in 1974 with a Canadian canoe, quickly followed by slalom kayaks and a 13' Avon river raft. Next came touring kayaks, and in the 1990's sit-on kayaks and a wave ski... ... ...